Extradition call rejected

HONG KONG has rejected a request from Honduras to extradite a couple wanted for alleged involvement in a multi-million dollar passport scandal.

The Interpol bureau in Hong Kong said it had received a request for assistance to extradite former honorary consul Julie Ng Kuo-lai and husband Rene Contreras.

At the centre of the scandal is a scheme approved by the previous government in 1990 to sell Honduran citizenship for US$25,000 (HK$193,375), reportedly obtained by 2,000 Hong Kong residents over an 18-month period. But investigators claim 20,000 Taiwanese, Chinese and Macau citizens also improperly obtained passports.

'We told Honduras police we could not help in the extradition because there is no extradition treaty between the United Kingdom and Honduras,' said Hong Kong Interpol Superintendent Eric Wong Tat-wah.

Mr Wong said the bureau had offered 'some help' to the Honduras police but would not elaborate. He said the extradition still could not be carried out.

Ms Ng and her husband would not comment.